Central Greece
Alexandros Karveli serves Greek coffee made the old-fashioned way, along with espresso drinks and Greek mountain tea. But the real reason to come to his…
Must-see nightlife in Mediterranean Europe
Venice
Lining the exposed-brick walls of this canalside bar are small-production wines, including a great selection of natural and biodynamic labels. The cicheti…
Milan
If Michelin awarded stars for bars, Nottingham Forest would have one. This eclectically decorated Asian/African tiki bar is the outpost of molecular…
Ikaria
Its own beer production was still in the works at the time of research, but you can try seven kinds of craft beer from different parts of Greece,…
Beyoğlu
Specialty coffee bars have proliferated in İstanbul in recent years, spearheaded by businesses such as this hip place opposite the Firuz Ağa Mosque in…
Elba
Steps lead down from the panoramic terrace at the far end of the central Piazza Matteotti to this party-hot enoteca (wine bar), a strictly after-dinner…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
One of Monti's best bars, this multiroomed speakeasy in a former monastery has an eclectic vintage-style decor and plenty of cosy corners where you can…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
How to define oTTo? It’s where you go to feel at home when you don’t want to be at home (or in your hotel). Come here for breakfast; hang out with the…
Málaga
There are numerous teterías in Málaga, but only one La Tetería. While it's less Moorish than some of its more atmospheric brethren, it still sells a wide…
Sorrento
Welcome to a new and very Italian concept: a cocktail bar doubling up as an interior-design store. That elegant sofa you’re sipping a negroni on is for…
Parma
In the heart of Parma's animated Strada Farini drinking scene is this classy but friendly wine bar run by a personable ex-rugby player. In warm weather,…
Catania
Svelte, convivial, urbane Rix takes its cocktails seriously. Each is made with passion and precision, from punchy Aviations to a very local Etna Kir …
Biscay Province
With its delightful plane tree–shaded cobbled terrace cooled by the afternoon sea breeze and its charming setting in Getxo's whitewashed Puerto Viejo,…
Meteora & Thessaly
Big Coffee may be encroaching on Volos, like everywhere else, but with its comic artwork – check out the unbelievably smutty glass-topped table – this…
Naples
Housed on the 1st floor of the Lanificio – a Bourbon-era wool factory and 15th-century cloister turned culture hub – Spazio Intolab draws an easy, arty,…
Verona
While vino is the primary consideration at this historic, baronial-style wine bar (the cellar holds around 18,000 bottles), the linen-lined tables promise…
Rhodes Town
This high-ceilinged, free-spirited bar and coffeehouse, close to the attractive Ibrahim Pasha mosque, is as pretty as it is friendly. Inside, the stone…
Catania
From the quality of the cocktails to the attentive staff, Fud Off just gets it. This is one of Catania's top bars, a slinky, cavernous space of tinted…
Çanakkale
Hidden in the wisteria-covered courtyard of a late 19th-century caravanserai is this atmospheric hybrid çay bahçesi (tea garden) and bar that doubles as a…
Pistoia
This warm, vibrant cafe with its own bakery (superb breads) and flowery courtyard garden buzzes with local life. Sip an espresso at the bar, chat with…
Kadıköy
Making the call as to who makes the best Turkish coffee in İstanbul is no easy task, but our vote goes to Fazıl Bey, the best-loved khavehan (coffeeshop)…
Trieste
Sandwiched between the Rotonda Pancera and the Roman Arco di Riccardo in pretty Piazza Barbacan is this popular local wine bar with piazza seating. It’s a…
Beyoğlu
Bored with contemporary coffee culture? Don't care where your beans have been roasted, or whether the milk has been heated to the prerequisite 54°C? If so…
Friuli Venezia Giulia
This elegant osteria both sells and serves some of the best Friulano and Collio wines alongside a short, seasonal menu featuring asparagus soufflé with…
Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio
If you’re looking for an elegant coffee accompanied by a delicate array of biscuits and pastries, this is the place for you, although you may have to…
Macedonia
A wonderland of judiciously assembled kitsch, this two-storey cafe-bar in an arcade in central Florina is a great alternative to the smoke-filled caffeine…
Lucca
With a giant canvas cream parasol providing shade and a tinkling stone fountain the atmospheric soundtrack, cafe terraces don't get much better than this…
Sliema, St Julian’s & Paceville
Indie rock and craft beers combine at the latest incarnation of Sliema's oldest pub. Posters of gigs you really wish you'd been to, including Joy Division…
Livorno
Live music, craft beer, creative bar cuisine and fabulous cocktails lure a local party set to this red-brick cellar bar, right by a canal in Piccola…
Milan
At the end of super-chic Via Solferino you’ll find this lovely gastropub where Piedmontese brewer Teo Musso serves his line of Baladin craft beers…
Palermo
Hugely popular with 30- and 40-plus locals, Hic! is never short of a fun crowd, spilling out onto the footpath in a sea of banter and reasonably priced…
Madrid
La Venencia is a barrio classic, with manzanilla (chamomile-coloured sherry) from Sanlúcar and sherry from Jeréz poured straight from the dusty wooden…
Menorca
For a night on the rocks, head to Menorca's most famous bar-club, perched like an eyrie in a vertiginous cliffside cave. Sunset is primetime, with…
Milan
This small, spare bar at the quieter end of the Navigli Grande harbours a generous and unusual selection of natural and biodynamic wines. Servers are…
Black Sea Coast
Set in an apricot-washed stone Ottoman house, the main attraction here is the walled garden-courtyard that a delightful place to linger over a çay or real…
Lake Iseo
A short stroll from the riverfront, this buzzing and jovial wine bar serves up phenomenal Italian vintages by the glass or bottle. Local varieties like…
Karpathos
The oldest cafe on the island was once a magnet for Italians (thus the fabulous coffee served in the original Bialetti espresso pots). These days…
Rhodes
This lonesome relic, 3km east of Kattavia, resembles something from a spaghetti western. Constructed in 1926 as the centrepiece of an Italian agricultural…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
Only octogenarians make use of the table at the back – everyone else hovers near the beautiful old bar, balancing plates of bruschetta and holding glasses…
Centro Storico
This authentic, old-school vino e olio (wine and oil) shop has everything you could want in a wine bar: a woody, bottle-lined interior, a cheerful crowd…
